1. Technical Field
Example embodiments relate generally to multi-processor and/or multi-core systems, for example, methods of spreading a plurality of interrupts, interrupt request signal spreader circuit circuits, and systems-on-chips (SOCs) having the same.
2. Description of the Related Art
A conventional electric device includes an interrupt controller for interrupt handling operations. When a plurality of interrupt sources generate a plurality of interrupts, the interrupt controller may set priorities for the interrupts, and provide interrupt request signals to processors. The interrupt request signals are generated based on the interrupts.
Recently, a system-on-chip (SOC) has been more widely used in electric devices as electric devices become smaller and lighter. Here, SOCs may include a plurality of intellectual property (IP) blocks and a plurality of processors (or a processor having a plurality of cores).
In a SOC, processors frequently enter a low-power mode to reduce power consumption. The processors wake-up from the low-power mode in response to receiving respective interrupt request signals. As described above, interrupt request signals are generated based on the interrupts generated by a plurality of interrupt sources. However, if the processors substantially wake-up from the low-power mode at the same or substantially the same time (e.g., sometimes referred to as a sudden wake-up), then in-rush currents may result in the processors.